Participatory Defense

Changing outcomes & transforming communities

A cooperative organizing model that provides guidance, support, and community for people facing charges, along with their loved ones, and empowers them to directly impact the outcome of cases, to begin healing, and ultimately transform the landscape of power in the criminal system.

Wrongful Conviction Freedom Warriors

One aspect of our Participatory Defense work is the Wrongful Conviction Freedom Warriors. This virtual group is a working space where individuals working on a Michigan-based wrongful conviction can come together to brainstorm/strategize on each other’s cases, as well as build power towards changing the systems that lead to wrongful convictions AND the systems designed to correct these wrongs.

Reproductive Justice

Reproductive health care, sexual health and reproductive justice are essential components of holistic wellness for all women. Unfortunately, many women, especially BIPOC women, do not realize the power of their individual and collective voices in changing the narrative surrounding reproductive health care and advocacy. We are working to change that.

End School to Prison Pipeline

Mass incarceration begins with the school to prison pipeline. Only with the complete dismantling this pipeline can we end to mass incarceration.

The school-to-prison pipeline starts in the classroom. Zero-tolerance policies and/or a teacher’s decision to refer students for punishment can mean they are pushed out of the classroom—and much more likely to be introduced into the criminal justice system

More Information Coming Soon

Voting Engagement and Fight Against Voter Suppression

In Michigan, people who are convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated, but their voting rights are restored upon their release.  Unfortunately, many people with felony convictions are trapped by myths and do not know they are able to vote once they are released from custody.  They are not politically involved.  By educating and empowering this significant segment of this population, we will create a bloc of voters who vote on a regular basis to more effectively influence legislation and create much-needed change within our state.